i8o A VOYAGE TO Booii IV. 



only ill fome of the principal pieces, which are of 

 wood. I'ht'ir method of building is, to fix in earth, 

 eight, ten, or twelve pieces oi wood, more or lefs, 

 according to the dimenñons of the houfe, forked at 

 the top, and of a proper Icngtl;, all the apartments 

 being on tlie firft flory, without any ground floor. 

 Beams are then laid acrofs on thcfe lorks, at the 

 diftanceof four or five yards from the ground. On 

 thcfe beams canes are laid in fuch a manner as to form 

 a kind of rafters, and over thefe boards of the 

 fame canes a foot and a half in breadth, which form 

 as firm and handfome a flooring as if of wood. The 

 partitions of the leveral apartments are of the larae 

 materials, but the outer walls are generally latticed, for 

 the free admiflion of the air. The principal beams of 

 the roof of large houfes are of timber, the rafters 

 of cane, with Irnaller, in a tranfverfe direction, and 

 over thefe vijahua leaves *. Thus a houfe is built 

 at very little expenfe, though containing all the necef- 

 fary conveniences. With regard to the poorer fort, 

 every one's own labour fuliiccs to procure him a 

 habitation. He goes up a creek in a fmall canoe, and 

 from the firfi wood cuts down as many canes, vijahuas, 

 and bejucos -J-, as he wants, and, bringing the whole 

 to th,e fhorc, he makes a halza or float, on which he 

 loads his other materials, and falls down the river to 

 the place where he intends to erect his cottage. After 

 which, he begins iiis work, faftening with bejucos 

 thofe parts which are ufually nailed ; and, in a few 

 days, finiflies it in the complctefl manner. Some of 

 thele cottages are almofi ccjual in dunenfions to thofe 

 of timber. 



The lower part, both of thelc honfes, as well as 

 thofe in the greater part of the jurifdichon of Gua- 

 yaquil (which are of the fame form), are expofed to 



*■ This leaf is three or four feet long, and about one broad. A. 

 f A. long pliant twig, ufed as a cord by the natives; defcribed 

 J3. V. Ch. I. A. 



all 



